Can I tow a camper trailer that weighs 2000kg in fifth gear?
Asked by Kevin
Can I tow a camper trailer that weighs 2000kg in fifth gear in my 2010 Ford Ranger?
Answered by CarsGuide
8 Feb 2022There’s a school of thought out there that says you shouldn’t tow anything heavy in an overdrive gear (such as fifth gear in your Ranger). That’s because the extra load of the trailer places huge stresses on the transmission via the gearing of that overdriven gear.
In the real world, the best advice is to avoid going uphill or into a headwind in overdrive, saving that fifth gear for downhill or flat running where you’re not loading the gearbox too much. You also need to be travelling at a speed where the vehicle is comfortable in fifth, not lugging along at low revs. This applies also to a four-speed automatic with an overdriven fourth gear, not just manual transmissions. Use the overdrive lock-out button to force the transmission back to third gear where it will be happier and less likely to be damaged. Be aware, too, that modern transmissions with six (or more gears) often have both fifth and sixth gear overdriven, not just the top ratio.
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